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mollariThe years 1821-1828, 1904-1912, and 1988-1995 were all remarkable times of social and technological transformation. The 1820s saw the rapid development of many new technologies as part of the Industrial Revolution, including the first photographs and the establishment of railroads, and the rise of European Colonialism; the era from 1904-1912 saw the equally dramatic changes involved in the success of many social movements, such as First Wave Feminism's many victories across Europe in this era, or the People's Budget of the United Kingdom; while the era from 1988-1995 saw massive transformations take place in information technology, chiefly in the form of the explosive growth of the internet; and massive political upheaval as the Eastern Block and then the Soviet Union abruptly fell apart.
Interestingly, each of these eras had effects and induced changes not fully felt for decades; the new technologies of the 1820s and the fallout from the rapid rise of European Imperialism remained major political issues and subject for debates well into the later half of the 19th century; the victories of the social reformers of the 1900s destroyed the justification for a great many inequalities in European and North America, but in many cases it wasn't until decades later that these inequalities were actually addressed; and finally the effects of the information revolution of the early 1990s is still an open question. Ranging from debates over the effects porn has on men through to the rise of social media (which got started after but could not have existed prior to the internet), the changes set in motion in those years are still being felt.
These years also share an astrological feature in common: Uranus was in Capricorn. Uranus is the planet of eccentricity, liberty, technological invention, and all things radical. The highly Uranian individual is never happy with things as they are, but always wants what could be. Usually, the Uranian energies prop up the status quo, for the simple reason that any two highly Uranian individuals will never be able to agree on anything, work at cross purposes, and quite often the result is a lot of energy dispersed in remarkably wasteful fashion. However, Uranus in Capricorn is a different beast.
Capricorn is the sign of limitations and restrictions, and as Dion Fortune notes, power comes from limits. Uranus in Capricorn is no longer diffused in every direction, scattered about, but instead all of the energy is focused. This is why the three eras when Uranus has travelled through Capricorn have all seen major and sustained changes: the Uranian energies are capable of creating significant transformations when focused; outside of Capricorn, however, Uranus tends to be a force for chaos, not transformation.
There is another factor which complicates the analysis here, and that is the influence of Neptune. Neptune is the planet of unity. It is the transcendent principles which underlie all of creation. However, take these energies down to the level we live in and they become very difficult to handle: just as it is the planet of hopes, dreams, and ideals, it is also the planet of delusions.
The first time that Uranus travelled through Capricorn after discovery in 1821-1828, Neptune had not been discovered. The second and third time, however, Neptune had been, and was in Cancer. Cancer, it should be noted, is directly opposite to Capricorn, and I think this might explain why the 1900s were an era of radical social change, one in which forces such as feminism and socialism played a major role, with Uranus and Neptune interacting for this period.
The most recent time that Uranus was in Capricorn, however, was a mess for the simple reason that Neptune was already there. Neptune was in Capricorn from 1984 until 1998. This was the first time since it's discovery, and I wish there was an earlier example to compare, because there were other factors as well during this period of time. However, the planet of hopes and dreams in a sign that is very practical, down to earth, and limiting seems like a strange combination. Perhaps the most obvious manifestation of this was the obsession of this era for law and order: I can't think of a better reflection for very practical dreams than that.
There is another complicating factor, which makes the era of radical change while Uranus crossed through Capricorn much more interesting: Capricorn is associated with the past and stability, while Neptune quite often rules delusions. The result, appears to have been that while Neptune traversed Capricorn, people were much more likely to want to pretend nothing had changed than under other circumstances, to pretend what changes were happening were the results of a return to the past, and to try to prevent things from changing even when they really need to.
This can be seen in phenomena as diverse as Ronald Reagan's claims that he was merely undoing the excesses of the 1960s and 1970s; through to the ways in which the appropriate technology movement collapsed; through to the Religious Right trying to “revive” a form of Christian society which had never actually existed. All of these were ways in which Neptune in Capricorn's inherent refusal to change manifested.
This explains why the many radical changes of this era were never seen for what they were, and why so many people downplay the changes that happened in this era. This also explains the vacation from reality we took beginning in the 1980s: once we started down this path of ignoring the fact we needed to change, there was no easy way to admit we were wrong.
Interestingly, each of these eras had effects and induced changes not fully felt for decades; the new technologies of the 1820s and the fallout from the rapid rise of European Imperialism remained major political issues and subject for debates well into the later half of the 19th century; the victories of the social reformers of the 1900s destroyed the justification for a great many inequalities in European and North America, but in many cases it wasn't until decades later that these inequalities were actually addressed; and finally the effects of the information revolution of the early 1990s is still an open question. Ranging from debates over the effects porn has on men through to the rise of social media (which got started after but could not have existed prior to the internet), the changes set in motion in those years are still being felt.
These years also share an astrological feature in common: Uranus was in Capricorn. Uranus is the planet of eccentricity, liberty, technological invention, and all things radical. The highly Uranian individual is never happy with things as they are, but always wants what could be. Usually, the Uranian energies prop up the status quo, for the simple reason that any two highly Uranian individuals will never be able to agree on anything, work at cross purposes, and quite often the result is a lot of energy dispersed in remarkably wasteful fashion. However, Uranus in Capricorn is a different beast.
Capricorn is the sign of limitations and restrictions, and as Dion Fortune notes, power comes from limits. Uranus in Capricorn is no longer diffused in every direction, scattered about, but instead all of the energy is focused. This is why the three eras when Uranus has travelled through Capricorn have all seen major and sustained changes: the Uranian energies are capable of creating significant transformations when focused; outside of Capricorn, however, Uranus tends to be a force for chaos, not transformation.
There is another factor which complicates the analysis here, and that is the influence of Neptune. Neptune is the planet of unity. It is the transcendent principles which underlie all of creation. However, take these energies down to the level we live in and they become very difficult to handle: just as it is the planet of hopes, dreams, and ideals, it is also the planet of delusions.
The first time that Uranus travelled through Capricorn after discovery in 1821-1828, Neptune had not been discovered. The second and third time, however, Neptune had been, and was in Cancer. Cancer, it should be noted, is directly opposite to Capricorn, and I think this might explain why the 1900s were an era of radical social change, one in which forces such as feminism and socialism played a major role, with Uranus and Neptune interacting for this period.
The most recent time that Uranus was in Capricorn, however, was a mess for the simple reason that Neptune was already there. Neptune was in Capricorn from 1984 until 1998. This was the first time since it's discovery, and I wish there was an earlier example to compare, because there were other factors as well during this period of time. However, the planet of hopes and dreams in a sign that is very practical, down to earth, and limiting seems like a strange combination. Perhaps the most obvious manifestation of this was the obsession of this era for law and order: I can't think of a better reflection for very practical dreams than that.
There is another complicating factor, which makes the era of radical change while Uranus crossed through Capricorn much more interesting: Capricorn is associated with the past and stability, while Neptune quite often rules delusions. The result, appears to have been that while Neptune traversed Capricorn, people were much more likely to want to pretend nothing had changed than under other circumstances, to pretend what changes were happening were the results of a return to the past, and to try to prevent things from changing even when they really need to.
This can be seen in phenomena as diverse as Ronald Reagan's claims that he was merely undoing the excesses of the 1960s and 1970s; through to the ways in which the appropriate technology movement collapsed; through to the Religious Right trying to “revive” a form of Christian society which had never actually existed. All of these were ways in which Neptune in Capricorn's inherent refusal to change manifested.
This explains why the many radical changes of this era were never seen for what they were, and why so many people downplay the changes that happened in this era. This also explains the vacation from reality we took beginning in the 1980s: once we started down this path of ignoring the fact we needed to change, there was no easy way to admit we were wrong.
